Loving
Loving is an American television soap opera which aired on ABC's daytime lineup from June 26, 1983 to November 10, 1995 for 3,169 episodes. The serial was co-created by Agnes Nixon and former actor Douglas Marland. The show was broadcast in France under the title Amoureusement Votre (Lovingly Yours), in Croatia as Ljubav, in Germany as Loving - Wege der Liebe, and in Italy as Quando si ama (When someone loves). Loving premiered on June 26, 1983 as a two-hour primetime movie and on the next day became a half-hour weekday soap opera. On July 4, 1995, ABC officially canceled Loving due to low ratings, and its final episode aired on November 10, 1995. On November 13, 1995, the following Monday, ABC replaced Loving with its spin-off The City, which ran until March 28, 1997. History With the established and successful ABC daytime soaps veering into a new trend of youth orientation and action/adventure storylines, a format heavy influenced by Gloria Monty on General Hospital, creators Agnes Nixon and Douglas Marland set out to develop a new series that would be introduced as a traditional, classic soap opera for the 1980s. Romance would be the show's key centerpiece; its original working title was Love Without End. By early 1983, the new creation was fully developed, as Loving, with a cast set for both a primetime premiere and a weekday run. Loving premiered on June 26, 1983 as a two-hour primetime movie. It starred much of the original cast and featured film actors Lloyd Bridges and Geraldine Page in the roles of former lovers, Johnny Forbes and Amelia Whitley, respectively. Set in the fictional town of Corinth,Pennsylvania, the early years of the show revolved around the blue-collar Donovans and the blue-blood Aldens. Major social issues such as incest, alcoholism, and post-traumatic stress syndrome of Vietnam vets were covered. But Marland and Nixon left the series after a few years and in spite of ABC bumping down Ryan's Hope to give Loving a choice timeslot, and cast additions of such popular All My Children stars as Debbi Morgan and Jean LeClerc, the ratings remained poor throughout the show's run. Loving suffered from a constant revolving door of writers and producers, leading to questionable story moments such as a heroine's addiction to cough syrup and one character selling his soul to the Devil. Loving celebrated its 10th Anniversary on ABC on June 26, 1993. Long-running characters included Ava, a schemer whose adventures ranged from stuffing a pillow in her dress to simulate pregnancy to being kidnapped at Universal Studios to being menaced by her lover's identical twin, Gilbert. Another longtime favorite was Stacey Donovan (portrayed by Lauren-Marie Taylor, the only continuously running original cast member), who was killed off via a poisoned powder puff in summer 1995, and Gwyneth Alden, the long-suffering matriarch who never stopped loving her roguish ex Clay or her mentally disturbed children Trisha and Curtis. In early 1995, ABC Daytime planned to cancel the show, and asked new head writers James Harmon Brown and Barbara Esensten to find a way to salvage a few components of the series. The writers embarked upon the show's last big storyline, and what many considered one of the show's best storylines, the Corinth serial killer. Stacey, Clay, Curtis, Cabot, Isabelle, and Jeremy lost their lives, culminating in the revelation that an insane Gwyn had murdered most of her friends and family in a bid to "make their pain go away." Gwyn then injected herself with poison before the police could take her into custody. Loving characters Ally, Alex, Angie, Buck, Frankie, Jacob, Steffi, Jocelyn, and Tess moved to New York City's SoHo District and began a new series, The City, which would run until March 1997. Alumni Many actors would become famous after the show ended its run. Wesley Addy and Augusta Dabney were soap veterans of many years standing (they played Cabot and Isabelle Alden); Bryan Cranston (Douglas Donovan #1) became a standout for such various shows ranging from comedy (Malcolm in the Middle) and drama (Breaking Bad). Former Search for Tomorrow actors John Cunningham and Ann Williams (he played Dr. Wade Collins; and she played Joanne's sister, Eunice Wyatt) were reunited on the show, playing warring couple Garth and June Slater. Garth, Alden University's dean of students, was committing incest with their daughter, Lily, while June numbed the pain with alcohol. (Sadly, three years after she left the show, Ann Williams died of cancer). Michael Weatherly (Cooper Alden) is of course widely known for his roles on NCIS (where he played Anthony DiNozzo) and his current series, Bull, in which he plays the title character. This is a list of actors who appeared on the American soap opera Loving. *Wesley Addy (Cabot Alden) (1983-1995) *Nancy Addison-Altman (Deborah Brewster Alden) (1993-1995) *Linden Ashby (Curtis Alden #2) (1985-1986) *Jennifer Ashe (Lily Slater #1) (1983-1984) *Alimi Ballard (Frankie Hubbard) (1993-1995) *Bernard Barrow (Louie Slavinsky) (1990-1993) *Noelle Beck (Patricia "Trisha" Alden Sowolsky Hartman McKenzie) (1984-1993, 1995) *Victor Bevine (Douglas "Doug" Donovan #2) (1985-1986) *Pamela Blair (Rita Mae Bristow) (1983-1985) *Philip Brown (Lyndon "Buck" Huston) (1993-1995) *James Carroll (Leo Burnell) (1992-1994) *Jessica Collins (Dinah-Lee Mayberry Alden #1) (1991-1994) *Matthew Cowles (Eban Japes) (1986-1987) *Bryan Cranston (Douglas "Doug" Donovan #1) (1983-1985) *John Cunningham (Garth Slater) (1983-1984) *Ronnie Davidson (Hassan) (1984) *Peter Davies (Fr. Jim Vochek) (1983-1989) *Shannon Eubanks (Ann Alden Forbes) (1983-1984) *Geoffrey C. Ewing (Charles Harrison) (1993-1995) *John Gabriel (Zack Conway) (1986-1987) *Rebecca Gayheart (Hannah Mayberry) (1992-1993) *Meta Golding (Brianna Hawkins) (1995) *Amelia Heinle (Stephanie "Steffi" Brewster) (1993-1995) *Catherine Hickland (Tess Wilder Partou) (1993-1995) *Judith Hoag (Charlotte "Lottie" Bates Alden) (1986-1988) *Anders Hove (Cesar Faison) (1993) *John R. Johnston (Steven Sowolsky) (1984-1988) *Patricia Kalember (Merrill Vochek) (1983-1984) *Teri Keane (Rose Donovan #1) (1983-1984) *Susan Keith (Shana Sloane Burnell) (1984-1989, 1990-1994) *James Kiberd (Michael "Mike" Donovan) (1983-1985) *Alexander Kniffin (Michael Slavinsky) (1991-1992) *Jean LeClerc (Jeremy Hunter) (1991, 1992-1995)/ (Gilbert Nostrand) (1994-1995) *Jonathan K. Lee (Ethan Washington) (1985-1986) *Tom Ligon (Billy Bristow) (1983-1985) *Patty Lotz (Ava Rescott Masters #1) (1984) *Randolph Mantooth (Clay Alden/Alex Masters) (1987-1990, 1993-1995) *Christopher Marcantel (Curtis Alden #1) (1983-1985, 1993-1995) *Marisol Massey (Abril Domecq Alden) (1989-1991) *Roya Megnot (Ava Rescott Forbes Alden Masters #2) (1984-1988, 1990) *Elizabeth Mitchell (Dinah-Lee Mayberry Alden #2) (1994-1995) *Ed Moore (Harry Sowolsky) (1984-1989, 1994) *Debbi Morgan (Carrie Mansfield) (pilot episode: June 26, 1983) *Debbi Morgan (Dr. Angela Hubbard Harrison) (1993-1995) *Ron Nummi (Rick Stewart Alden #1) (1987-1989) *John O'Hurley (Keith Lane/Jonathan Matalaine) (1984-1986) *Corey Page (Richard Wilkins) (1991-1995) *Lisa Peluso (Ava Rescott Forbes Alden Masters #3) (1988-1990, 1990-1995) *Luke Perry (Ned Bates) (1987-1988) *Nada Rowand (Katherine Rescott Slavinsky) (1984-1995) *Maggie Rush (Lorraine Hawkins) (1995) *Rena Sofer (Amelia "Rocky" McKenzie Domecq) (1988-1991) *Perry Stephens (Jack Forbes #1) (1983-1990) *Carina Finn (Young Trisha Alden) (1995) *Paul Anthony Stewart (Casey Bowman) (1992-1995) *Lauren-Marie Taylor (Stacey Donovan Forbes) (1983-1995) *Rick Telles (Rio Domecq) (1989-1991) *Christine L Tudor (Gwyneth Alden) (1984-1989, 1991-1995) *Robert Tyler (Actor) (Thomas "Trucker" McKenzie) (1988-1995) *Susan Walters (Lorna Forbes Perelli #1) (1983-1986) *Michael Weatherly (Cooper Alden) (1992-1995) *Ann Williams (June Slater) (1983-1984) *Darnell Williams (Jacob Foster) (1995) *Eric Woodall (Matt Ford) (1991-1992) *Laura Wright (Allison "Ally" Rescott Alden Bowman) (1991-1995) Category:Shows Category:ABC Daytime Category:1983 Soap opera debuts Category:1980s American television programs Category:1990s American television programs Category:1995 Soap opera endings Category:2010s American television programs Category:2020s American television programs